


Like a Puzzle (We Fit Together)

by bugarungus



Series: Kinktober 2020 [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Kinktober, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:21:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugarungus/pseuds/bugarungus
Summary: Yunho isn't an average omega, but it's okay because Yeosang isn't an average alpha.
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Kang Yeosang
Series: Kinktober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951846
Comments: 14
Kudos: 180





	Like a Puzzle (We Fit Together)

"Let's go, Yunho," Mingi yells from the front of the apartment. Yunho sighs and spends another minute fixing his hair in the mirror, even though it doesn't need any more fixing.

"What's taking so long?" Yunho can hear Mingi moving down the hallway. He knows he needs to wipe the frown off his face before Mingi sees it and tries to hug it away. Yunho isn't in the mood for hugs tonight.

"Nothing. I'm coming," he calls, trying to beat Mingi to the bedroom door. He manages to shut it behind him right as Mingi reaches him, and he feels a little claustrophobic with the way Mingi takes up the entire width of the hallway, boxing him in.

"Hiding something?" Mingi asks, but instead of pairing the question with a mischievous smirk, his eyebrows are drawn together in concern. If Yunho weren't actually trying to hide something, he'd shrug it off and make a joke about not wanting Mingi to see how many clothes he'd thrown all over the room while getting ready, but he's never really been able to lie so casually to Mingi.

"No?" he says. Mingi raises an eyebrow. "Nope. Nothing to hide. Come on, we'll be late."

Yunho pushes past Mingi and doesn't wait for him to follow. Yunho heads straight out of the apartment and down the stairs, and when Mingi finally catches up, he's waiting by the passenger door of Mingi's car.

Yunho is dreading tonight. He's dreading the drive to the restaurant and the actual dinner and the drive home. He's dreading being in close quarters with other people, even people he's usually comfortable around. He's dreading someone inevitably noticing the shift in his scent that indicates his preheat, despite the copious use of blockers (which he knows, regardless of their claims, only slightly dampen the intensity of his scent). He's dreading the conversation that will follow, Mingi and the others insisting he hurry and find someone to help him through it.

But Yunho doesn't want to find someone to help him through it. He doesn't want to have to sit down with a strange new alpha and have The Talk. Because he knows The Talk is necessary, but it's also… it's so _embarrassing._

"I'm not like your average omega," he'll have to say. 

And the alpha will sniff the air and say something dumb like, "Yeah, I can tell. You smell so sweet, baby. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

"No," Yunho will say, pushing the alpha out of his personal space. "My body isn't… normal." And it's not; he knows that. Yunho doesn't look like an average omega, doesn't act like an average omega. He's tall and gangly, and he's stronger than most betas. He's built like an alpha, though his scent is so sickly sweet no one would mistake him for one, but it's more than that.

"I don't get... wet like I'm supposed to. My body doesn't self lubricate much, if at all. It takes a lot more to take care of my heat than just fucking me for several days straight."

They never believe him. Or they never understand how severe his condition is. They probably assume he means it takes him longer to get warmed up, that once his biology takes over he'll be fine, but that's not how it works for Yunho at all.

At most, Yunho can produce enough slick to take a single finger, but no amount of pleasure can conjure up any more. He has to substitute with synthetic lubricant, the kind created for betas (and alphas) who like to bottom, but that creates another problem.

Omega slick also contains a kind of muscle relaxer, a naturally occurring chemical that loosens everything up in preparation for a knot. Synthetic lubricant, no matter how fancy and expensive, lacks that chemical, and without it… well, Yunho has learned the hard way that he needs a very attentive alpha or he'll require an extra week to recover following his heat.

Yunho has at least a week left to find someone, two weeks at the most, but even thinking about it has his stomach in knots. He had hoped that San's birthday dinner would help him forget about his worries, had been looking forward to it for days. But then Mingi mentioned that Wooyoung is bringing a new friend from work, an unmated alpha, and all Yunho can do is hope that the alpha's scent is something awful, like licorice or gardenias.

"You gonna drive?" Yunho asks when he realises they've been sitting in park at the curb with the car running for several minutes.

"You gonna buckle?" Mingi shoots back calmly.

Yunho groans and snatches the seatbelt, pulling it across himself and clicking it into place. Finally, Mingi puts the car in gear and pulls into traffic.

Yeosang notices him the moment he walks in the door. It's hard not to notice him, actually.

First it's the scent. It's unusual to smell caramel apple and candy corn in the middle of summer, especially in a crowded restaurant where the combination of cooking food and dozens of diners' scents mingle in the air.

Next it's the tall puppy of an omega being led to the table by Mingi. They're both tall, really, Mingi and the puppy, but while Yeosang recognises Mingi from a photo that sits on Wooyoung's desk, the puppy, with his bright blue hair and pouty lips, is a new face.

Finally, the scent hits him again, stronger than before, definitely coming from the puppy, and now it's more caramel than anything, so sweet it makes Yeosang's teeth ache. It's preheat. No matter what the scent combination is, the sweetest components always overpower the sharper notes when an omega's heat is approaching, and by the smell of him, puppy will be begging for a knot by the middle of next week.

Yeosang's body tries to conjure an image of this omega hanging on his own knot before his brain quickly shuts it down. The puppy is clearly unmated, but Yeosang knows it won't happen.

Mingi and his friend settle in the two empty seats between Wooyoung and Seonghwa, and though Wooyoung fails to introduce them, Yeosang catches that the puppy's name is Yunho.

Drinks are ordered and served, and the table gets loud, as Yeosang would have expected of a group of young men. Hongjoong makes his way around the table, greeting everyone and hanging off of them, even Yeosang who usually finds that kind of behaviour obnoxious. He allows it because Hongjoong is slightly tipsy and his mate, Jongho, doesn't seem to mind, but he makes a mental note that if he hangs out with Wooyoung's friends again, he'll need to keep his distance from Hongjoong.

"Jongho, control your mate," Seonghwa shouts when Hongjoong finally makes it to his end of the table.

"Why?" Jongho shrugs at him. "He's cute when he's happy."

Everyone else seems to be happy, too. They're all drinking and laughing, and once everyone is in their own seats, there's a lot of snuggling.

Hongjoong sits on Jongho's lap, and Mingi holds Seonghwa's hand under the table while Yunho finally gives in and leans against Wooyoung. Even San, who Yeosang barely knows, is gradually gravitating closer to Yeosang. He could have sworn San's chair was a whole six inches away from his own when they sat down, but somehow their knees and shoulders keep bumping, and San keeps sending him shy, innocent little smiles each time it happens, like he's not the one causing it in the first place.

When the food arrives, Wooyoung starts whispering something to Yunho that sounds urgent, and Yunho whines at him but eventually picks up his plate, saying, "Yo, San, switch places with me. I wanna talk to Jongho."

Jongho and San seem just as confused as Yeosang, but they shuffle around the table, passing plates across and scraping chair legs on the tile as they all settle in their new positions. Contrary to what Yunho said, he doesn't appear to have a damn thing to say to Jongho. He sits quietly and rather stiffly in his chair with his shoulders hunched so that he almost looks small.

Seonghwa tries to include Yeosang in whatever conversation he and Mingi are having, but Yeosang is too distracted by the overwhelming scent of caramel on his side of the table. He's busy wondering what Yunho is thinking, why he looks so uncomfortable, and trying desperately to avoid watching the woosan cuddle fest across the table from him.

"How do you know San?" Yeosang finally gathers the courage to ask.

Yunho looks up, seemingly startled that Yeosang is speaking to him. "Uh, college? We roomed together. Shared a suite with Wooyoung and Mingi. Omega dorm," he shrugs.

"Ah, I only know Wooyoung. We work together. He said his friends were fun, and I had nothing better to do so… Here I am."

"Oh, you don't know the others? Were you introduced?" Yunho says, looking around the table like he's not sure where to start with introductions.

"It's okay," Yeosang stops him, placing a hand over Yunho's without even thinking. "I met everyone else when I got here. Everyone but you and Mingi."

Yunho nods blankly, shuddering slightly as he stares at Yeosang's fingers draped loosely over his own.

"Sorry, that's-" Yeosang says, snatching his hand away. "Probably too comfortable. I don't usually touch people without permission. I don't know why I did that."

"It's okay," Yunho waves it off, but his body language tells a different story. He sniffs the air and sighs, whimpers really, and he practically withers, hunching even further into himself.

"You okay?" Yeosang whispers, noticing a spike in Yunho's scent. Okay, middle of next week might have been a generous estimate. Yunho probably only has another day or two before his heat hits. Yeosang is really curious why he's even out right now. He should be at home preparing, nesting and all the weird shit omegas do that Yeosang has never understood.

"I'm fine. Just a little… dizzy, I guess. I kind of want to go home."

"You rode with Mingi, right? Want me to take you home?"

There's a low rumble in Yunho's chest that sounds remarkably like he's purring, but he shakes his head.

"I'm okay. I'll be okay. Don't wanna ruin the night for San. I can wait for Mingi."

"If you're sure," Yeosang says, and Yunho nods, but Yeosang notices that Yunho leans toward him a bit, and when their elbows brush, they both seem content to leave them there, just barely touching but apparently enough to calm Yunho. The tension bleeds out of him as they sit there in their quiet bubble, surrounded by the chaos of the rest of Yunho's friends. He relaxes enough to smile and joke with Hongjoong (who still hasn't left Jongho's lap and has insisted all evening that Jongho feed him his dinner), and Yeosang thinks he sees Yunho wink at Wooyoung and give him a thumbs up across the table when San falls into him and hugs his arm.

Yeosang is reluctant to let Yunho leave when dinner is over. Mingi stands and stretches, a move that's followed intently by Seonghwa's sharp eyes, and tells Yunho it's time to go. Yunho, for his part, seems just as reluctant, but he slips awkwardly past Jongho and Hongjoong to get out of his seat and follows Mingi to the door.

Wooyoung pulls his face out of San's neck for half a second to look between Yunho and Yeosang, and his eyes light up. He pulls out his phone and starts typing, and as soon as he places it back on the table, Yeosang's phone vibrates in his pocket.

Sure enough, there's a message from Wooyoung.

_ He's cute right? _

_ Let me know if you want his number. _

Yeosang frowns and puts his phone away without replying. He stands, politely telling everyone goodnight and wishing San a happy birthday as he squeezes behind Seonghwa to leave. 

Truthfully, he'd love to have Yunho's number. He'd love to get to know the giant omega puppy better, to maybe be the one he asks for help with his heat, but Yeosang knows Yunho would be better off with pretty much any other alpha taking care of him.

Out on the sidewalk Yeosang can breathe a little easier, but as he makes his way to the car he hears a soft, deep, scolding voice.

"Preheat, Yunho? Really? You should have said something. You could've just stayed home. You know San would understand."

"I know, okay? But can you blame me for wanting to feel something close to normal? Being with the guys is the closest I get to normal. They don't make me feel awkward or wrong or broken. I needed it, okay? Do you understand that?"

Yeosang can see them standing by a car, and he hears Mingi sigh before pulling Yunho into a hug and whispering something too low for Yeosang to catch.

"Let's get you home now," he says, and he opens the passenger door for Yunho. Mingi closes it gently once Yunho has folded himself into the seat and reminds him to buckle up.

Yeosang doesn't want to interrupt. He waits for them to drive away before heading to his own car and going home.

Yunho has never had a heat hit so hard so fast. On Friday he'd figured he had a week to go, but by Sunday afternoon Mingi is packing a bag to go stay with Seonghwa for the next week, wrinkling his nose at Yunho's scent.

"Did you find someone?" he asks as Yunho watches him shove practically all of his underwear into the bag. Which Yunho doesn't really understand the point of as Mingi will likely be naked for most of his stay since that's what he and Seonghwa do when they're alone together.

"Not yet," Yunho sighs. He's not like Mingi. He doesn't have an alpha just sitting around waiting for him to go into heat. In fact, he's never spent two heats with the same alpha. They never stick around after it's over, and betas always just want to be friends.

"Need some help?"

"No," he shakes his head. As uncomfortable as The Talk is, it's Yunho's condition and therefore his responsibility. He can't even imagine what would happen if he left it to Mingi. He'd probably explain things wrong. "I'll figure something out. I'll call Wooyoung if I have to. He knows how to help."

During college Wooyoung had helped Yunho through his heat a few times, and it had always been a little weird but still not a terrible experience overall. Wooyoung would use his own slick to work Yunho open and then fuck him with a dildo until his heat broke.

It's a last resort, but Wooyoung would be there for him if Yunho needed him. Honestly though, Yunho thinks he might just try to go it alone this time. He's never done that before, and while it's a little scary to consider, he's been with so many horrible partners that it may be for the best if he can get used to handling his heat on his own.

"Well, whatever you do, you better hurry up," Mingi says, and now he's outright covering his nose, not even bothering to hide the way Yunho's scent bothers him. "Your caramel is beginning to burn."

Yunho doesn't manage to escape the conversation without a hug, but this time the hug is completely welcome. Mingi smells like ice cream and fresh waffle cones, and Yunho is so used to his scent after living together for so many years that it smells like the comfort of home as it wraps around him.

When Mingi is gone, Yunho lays in his empty bed and debates what to do. Eventually he ends up texting Wooyoung anyway.

_ Heat approaching _

_ Think you'd be up to helping me out? _

It takes Wooyoung a suspiciously long time to answer, but Yunho has nothing better to do than wait with the chat open on his phone.

_ I might have a better idea _

_ Remember my friend Yeosang? _

Oh, yeah. Yunho remembers him. In fact, Yunho isn't entirely sure Yeosang isn't the reason his heat is hitting him so fast.

Yunho remembers sitting next to Yeosang, how polite and friendly he was. He remembers the way Yeosang's fingers felt on his skin, soft and cool. He remembers Yeosang's scent, whiskey and smoke, curling through the air and right into Yunho's fucking nostrils the moment they walked into the restaurant.

Yunho hadn't wanted to sit next to Yeosang, had known it would probably be a mistake, but Wooyoung has had the biggest, stupidest crush on San for what feels like forever, and he'd insisted on giving him birthday snuggles. (Yunho highly suspects Wooyoung couldn't even think of a better birthday gift than snuggles.)

_ I remember _

_ What about him _

_ Well, he's an unmated alpha _

_ …. _

_ Put it together Yunho _

Yunho has already put it together, but he doesn't like the picture. Or rather, he does like the picture, but it's not an accurate portrayal of how things would work out.

_ Come on Wooyoung _

_ Please don't make me explain it to him _

_ Why? Because you like him? _

_ No _

_ Because it's embarrassing even with strangers _

_ It's worse when it's someone I might have to see again in the near future _

Again, he has to wait longer than he should for a response. In the meantime, Yunho lets his mind wander.

Would it really be so bad to have Yeosang fuck him for a few days? Yeosang seemed like a gentle, considerate alpha, and he's certainly attractive. Yunho can easily imagine how careful and respectful Yeosang would be.

He's almost talked himself into asking for Yeosang's number by the time his phone buzzes in his hand, an unknown number flashing on the screen.

"Hello?" Yunho answers curiously. He normally wouldn't answer an unknown number, but he has a feeling he knows who the number belongs to.

_ "Yunho? This is Yeosang. I'm sorry to contact you unexpectedly like this, but Wooyoung said to call you." _

"No, it's fine. He's trying to find someone to help me with my heat, which, as you probably noticed by my scent Friday night, is only hours away." Might as well rip the band-aid off, Yunho figures. "He was thinking you might be interested."

_ "Oh, uhh…" _ There's a long spell of silence during which something very unpleasant curls up in Yunho's chest like it's planning on taking up residence.

"You can say no, obviously. I mean I wasn't asking exactly, but if I were, you could definitely say no."

_ "No, it's not that. I want to say yes, actually. You smell… really good, but- Look, can we talk face-to-face? This is something I prefer not to explain over the phone." _

"Uhh, yeah? I'll text you my address. You can come here. Probably best if I'm not out in public right now anyway."

_ "Sounds good. Is there anything I can bring you? Since I'm already out." _

"Oh, um, no? I think I'm okay."

_ "Alright. Send the address. I'll be there soon." _

Yeosang tries to go over what he'll say to Yunho in his head as he drives to Yunho's apartment. He's had this conversation before, but it's always a little difficult to get through it.

_ I know I smell like an alpha, and I am, but I have a condition… _

Most omegas assume by condition he means disease, but that's not it. It's nothing contagious. Really, it shouldn't even be a problem. Except the first and only time he'd agreed to help an omega through his heat it had lasted two extra days, and Yeosang had to pay for rush delivery on a knotted dildo to finish him off in the end. Three years later, he's still getting spam emails offering discounts on all sorts of toys for omegas.

Yeosang parks at the curb and takes a moment to steel himself before grabbing the bag full of Gatorade and energy gel supplements he'd picked up for Yunho. If he can't be the one to help Yunho through his heat, he at least wants Yunho to feel cared for.

Yunho answers on the first knock, and a wall of burnt caramel scent hits Yeosang full in the face when the door opens. It takes considerable effort to keep from covering his nose against it.

"Sorry," Yunho apologises sheepishly. "When I said hours away, I might have been exaggerating. I've probably got half an hour now."

"It's okay," Yeosang assures him, stepping inside and offering his bag of supplies. "Just in case," he shrugs. "Don't want you to get dehydrated or anything."

"Oh, thanks. That's very thoughtful."

Yunho sets the bag aside for later and invites Yeosang to the couch where they can talk, but it takes several minutes for Yunho to get comfortable, adjusting the cushions until he's surrounded by a dilapidated pillow fort, his head and shoulders sticking out the top. Yeosang can't help grinning at how cute it is.

"You don't want to help me, right?" Yunho asks when he's finally situated.

"No, that's not- Yes. I do. I just, I have a condition. I don't think I'll be very much help, is all."

Yunho perks up, sitting up a little straighter and then leaning over the edge of one of the cushions. "What kind of condition?"

Yeosang takes a deep breath. He hates this part. No matter how well the person takes it, he always feels like he's baring himself to someone prematurely.

"Well, I'm not a normal alpha. I mean, I smell like an alpha, and I am, but… anatomically I'm more like a- a beta."

He  _ is _ an alpha. Medically and biologically, everything about him is alpha, even though he's a bit small and delicate looking. He has alpha hormones and emits alpha pheromones. He has ruts, and he's even capable of doing that weird alpha order thing, though he's never had a reason to do it. But, "I don't have a knot. Like, at all. It's not part of my anatomy. No matter how good you smell or how turned on I am or how much you need a knot, I won't be able to- Why are you smiling?"

Yunho laughs. It's a bright sound, happy, beautiful, and if Yeosang's mind were in the right place he'd be able to appreciate all of this. Instead, he feels like he's being laughed _ at,  _ being made fun of, and he bristles at it.

"No, I'm sorry. It's not you. I'm just… this is perfect."

"Yunho, you're going to have to explain how the fact that I'm broken is perfect."

"I can't produce slick!" He's still laughing, and the words burst out in a shout that probably every neighbor in the building can hear. "I have a condition too," he explains, "and since I can't produce slick, I can't take a knot. Well, I can, but it takes a lot of lube to make it happen, and I don't really need a knot to break my heat. I just… it's perfect, don't you see? I can't take a knot and you don't have one. We match."

There are tears in Yunho's eyes, happy tears, and bubbly little giggles slip out as he tries to calm himself.

Yeosang gets it. He's been dealing with his condition since he presented, explaining it to so many omegas who just didn't understand. Yunho has been doing the same thing; he _ does _ understand. It's nice to feel understood.

By the time Yunho stops laughing, his scent has shifted again. With the weight of explaining his issues lifted, the scorched sugar has evaporated, now replaced with a buttery sweetness.

"Lube?" Yeosang questions, because now that he knows Yunho won't expect or need a knot, he's actually kind of excited to help Yunho out.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Lots of lube. There's plenty in my, umm, bedroom. Are you- You want to?"

"You need someone, right? And you don't have much time. Obviously it's your choice. I'll leave if you want, but I can also… stay. I'd be happy to stay."

"Stay. Please stay. I really… I think it would be nice if you stayed."

Yeosang nods. "Then I will."

There is a total of about four minutes of awkwardness as neither Yunho nor Yeosang can seem to figure out what they should actually do now that they've agreed to do it, but the longer they sit there doing nothing, the hotter and itchier Yunho feels. He can't decide whether to hunch down into his pillows and hide or stand up and claw at his clothes until they are no longer burning his skin.

His scent spikes again with the panic of indecision, and a wave of smoky whiskey washes over him as Yeosang scoots closer to feel Yunho's forehead with the back of his hand. It feels so nice that Yunho whimpers and presses into Yeosang's hand.

"Shit, Yunho, you're burning up. Tell me what you need. Tell me what you want me to do."

Yunho struggles to clear his mind enough to speak. This is why he needs to explain things before his heat when he's still capable of explaining, so that the alpha he's with will already know what to do when Yunho can't construct a coherent sentence, but there's no time left for explaining now.

"Just-" Yunho stops to shake his head so that there are no longer two of Yeosang hovering in front of him. "Just treat me like a beta. A really… really needy beta- fuck! It's so hot!"

He tries to pull his t-shirt over his head and gets it stuck around his elbows, but Yeosang's steady hands help to free him.

"Lube is in your bedroom?" Yunho nods, eyes closed against tears of need. "Come on. Let's move to your nest."

_ Shit!  _ "My nest," Yunho whines. He hasn't nested yet. His bed is still mostly made, and all of his supplies are in the hall closet. He pauses to grab his bag as Yeosang leads him down the hall, and he almost lets Yeosang steer him into the wrong bedroom.

"Left," he mumbles. "I'm on the left."

Yeosang turns the door knob but lets Yunho push the door open and enter first. He stands outside in the hall until Yunho pulls him in by the front of his shirt. "Help me. You have to help."

After pushing the comforter to the far edge of the bed, Yunho begins tearing blankets out of his bag. He throws them haphazardly around the mattress in an elongated oval and tosses his many pillows around before stripping out of his sweatpants and climbing up on the bed on his hands and knees.

"It doesn't- doesn't smell right," he complains, pushing himself back off the bed. Usually he sleeps in the nest a few nights before his heat hits so that everything smells like him, but it just smells like laundry, like detergent and fabric softener and annoyingly a little like ice cream because he and Mingi share everything. His caramel is burning again in his distress, but Yeosang takes Yunho's hand and places his other palm over Yunho's chest.

"We'll get it right, okay? Lay down and roll around for a minute."

"You do it," Yunho pouts, and Yeosang laughs a little.

"You like my scent, puppy?" he teases. "Want your nest to smell like me?"

"Yes," Yunho admits. "Please, make it smell like you."

"Like us. We'll make it smell like us. Come on."

Yeosang sits on the edge of the bed and pats the space beside him, inviting Yunho to join. Yunho, instead, climbs right into his lap and pushes at his shoulders until he's lying back against the mound of blankets.

"Why do you smell so good?" Yunho groans, and he lowers his face to one side of Yeosang's neck to inhale his scent. Yeosang holds him there with a hand at the back of his head, encouraging Yunho to scent him, and Yunho does, nuzzling his cheek against Yeosang's skin like a kitten.

Yunho makes himself comfortable there, licking and scraping his teeth along the tendons in Yeosang's neck, nosing up to his jaw where he nuzzles some more. It's not until Yeosang gasps and drops his hands to Yunho's hips to still him that he realises he's been rutting against Yeosang's thigh.

"Is that how you wanna cum?" Yeosang asks, and Yunho honestly isn't sure how to answer. It feels good, and he needs to cum, but he also knows it won't do anything to calm his heat.

"No," he says, and he allows Yeosang to resituate them so that he's on his back looking up at Yeosang.

"Where's the lube?" Yeosang questions him, taking his turn to drop a line of kisses down Yunho's neck and across his shoulder.

"Drawer, uh, no, bag- fuck!" he curses as Yeosang licks just below his Adam's apple. "Mmh… nightstand. By the lamp." Yunho uses one hand to point in the general direction of the nightstand while he threads the fingers of his other hand through Yeosang's hair, keeping him close.

Yeosang blindly reaches for the bottle, nearly knocking over the lamp in the process, but he manages to grab it without letting his lips leave Yunho's skin.

"Want me to make you feel better now, puppy?"

"God, please," Yunho moans, hips bucking up as Yeosang slides down his body. He feels a tug at the hem of his boxers, and he lifts his ass off the bed so that Yeosang can pull them down his legs.

"Come on, puppy, open for me," Yeosang says, hands grazing Yunho's thighs and pressing at his knees to spread his legs. Yunho obeys immediately, raising his feet to the edge of the bed and then pulling his knees up to his chest. He's a little wet, like always. There's just the smallest smear of slick gathered between his cheeks. He hears Yeosang's breath hitch in his throat as he catches the scent, but Yeosang doesn't linger long enough to taste as Yunho hopes. He knows that's counterproductive with how little slick he produces, but every omega, no matter how shy, is secretly pleased when an alpha enjoys the way they taste.

Yeosang's fingers are already slick with lube, gliding along Yunho's ass, dipping into him shallowly before retreating again. It makes Yunho's stomach muscles jerk as he tries to chase Yeosang's fingers, to get them inside where he needs them.

"Be still now," Yeosang murmurs against the back of Yunho's thigh. "I'll take care of you."

The fingers stop at his entrance, and Yunho whines but holds his hips very still as Yeosang drizzles extra lube down his crack. It's cool, and it runs up his back and drips onto the sheets, but Yunho can't be bothered to care because one of Yeosang's fingers finally circles his rim and then slides in. It feels so,  _ so good! _ Yunho's lungs forget how to work until Yeosang curls his finger, and Yunho gasps loudly. He nearly arches off the bed, trying to get Yeosang deeper, trying to suck his finger all the way in. Yunho wants so badly to be full, but Yeosang takes it slow.

He's concentrating, entirely focused on making sure Yunho is wet enough. He adds more lube as another finger slips in, rubs it around so that it coats every millimeter of Yunho's walls, and then when he's stretched enough, Yeosang squeezes a good amount of the slippery stuff straight into him.

It's not too cold now, warmed by Yeosang's body heat, but the feeling is unreal. Yunho has never felt so wet, so right, so normal.  _ This is how it's supposed to be. _

He squeals when Yeosang adds a third finger, the lube making an obscene noise as it squeezes out through the tight space between Yeosang's fingers and around his knuckles.

Fuck, Yunho wants to cum. He wants to cum on Yeosang's fingers, wants to cum right fucking now.

"Please… ple- hah! Please! Yeosang I-"

"It's okay, puppy." Yeosang's clean hand slides over the curve of Yunho's ass cheek comfortingly, reverently. "Come on. You can cum now. We both know it won't be the last time, hmm?"

Yunho nods, eyes squeezed shut, and Yeosang's wrist twists _ just so, _ and all the air leaves Yunho's body in a huff as he cums. Yeosang works him through it, fingers pumping in and out, knuckles brushing against Yunho's rim. It's _ intense. _ Yunho forgets how to breathe again, and when he stops cumming, he's still so fucking hard. He needs more, needs to be fucked and filled, and he needs Yeosang to fucking kiss him _ immediately. _

Dropping his feet back to the bed, Yunho reaches for Yeosang, whining when Yeosang has to pull his fingers free to climb up on the bed to meet him. Like he can read Yunho's mind, Yeosang's lips crash into Yunho's in a greedy, harsh kiss. Yunho's lips part as he moans, and Yeosang's tongue slips in, licking the sound right out of his mouth.

"Puppy," Yeosang pants against Yunho's shoulder when they finally come up for air. "Was that okay? Was it what you needed?"

"Perfect," Yunho sighs. "It was perfect. Now you just gotta do that, like, fifty more times. Starting now."

Yeosang nods and pushes himself up off the bed to remove his clothes. He's sweating, his skin glowing in the late afternoon sunlight coming through the blinds. Yunho can't remember ever seeing anything more beautiful in his life.

"You're stunning," Yunho breathes.

"I'm skinny," Yeosang argues, poking at his ribs.

"No, you're strong. I'm too big. There's so much arm and leg and-"

"Dick. You have a big dick."

"For an omega."

"For a person. I've seen plenty of alphas with smaller dicks than you."

Yunho blushes and looks away. He's embarrassed and honestly a little upset, which is a really awful feeling to combine with his heat when he still  _ needs _ so much. It's just confirming what he's always thought: he's not omega enough.

"Hey," Yeosang says, and his voice is softer now. "Hey, don't think like that, okay? I didn't mean it makes you any less of an omega."

"Then what did you mean?"

Yeosang shrugs like it's nothing, but pink blooms in his cheeks as he says, "Just that I'd kinda like to give it a test drive."

Yunho almost chokes. "You mean you- you'd really…"

"Not right now, obviously. Not while you need it more than me. But sometime, yeah. I'd love to give it a try. And _ that _ doesn't make  _ me _ any less of an alpha. Our bedroom dynamics don't make a bit of difference to anyone besides us, right?"

"Yeah," Yunho mutters, nodding. It's all he can think to say because his brain is running a constant loop of  _ us, us, us, he said us. _ Yeosang said _ 'us' _ like he doesn't want this to be a one time thing, like it's more than just helping Yunho through his heat, like he wants them to be an  _ 'us' _ in the future. He's thinking of a time between Yunho's heats when they might do this again, and Yunho wants that. He wants it  _ so much. _

"Come on," Yeosang says, crawling back up on the bed to turn Yunho the proper direction, giving himself room to fit between Yunho's legs on the mattress. "You look exhausted already. I promise you can rest soon, puppy. Okay?"

Yunho nods again, allows Yeosang to move him around and position him, and then he hears the cap of the lube click again and his heat completely takes over.

_ "Our bedroom dynamics don't make a bit of difference to anyone but us, right?" _

Yeosang hadn't meant to say it like that. It had just slipped out. Normally he'd be worried about how it sounds, but he sees the dazed look in Yunho's eyes and thinks he's too deep in his heat to catch it anyway.

Yeosang isn't unaffected himself. Despite the lack of slick, Yunho's scent is strong, and he looks so pretty laid out on the bed like that, naked and hard, his ass and thighs shiny with lube and his stomach still covered in cum. His blue hair fans out across the bunched up blanket beneath his head, and his eyes sparkle in the light of the setting sun.

Pushing his own boxers down to his ankles and stepping out of them, Yeosang begins rearranging Yunho on the bed. "Come on. You look exhausted already. I promise you can rest soon, puppy. Okay?"

Yunho's eyes roll back as he nods, and Yeosang opens the lube to get him ready again. His cock, which really is bigger than average for _ any _ person, brushes against Yeosang's thigh, leaving a streak of precum on his skin, and Yunho groans.

Yeosang remembers the last time he'd done this, how a random touch like that had made his partner gush slick, but Yunho doesn't, of course. His scent spikes, caramel and apple filling the room, and he lifts his hips in search of more friction, but the lube from before isn't really slippery anymore, just tacky from being exposed to the dry air of the room.

"I'll take good care of you, puppy," Yeosang promises as he douses his fingers in fresh lube. Yunho is still loose, and he whimpers when three of Yeosang's fingers enter him. He's really just trying to get Yunho wet again, repeating his previous actions and squeezing the bottle right into Yunho's ass.

It's probably a little cold, Yeosang realises when Yunho squirms beneath him, but Yeosang doesn't want to hurt him by not using enough. Yeosang spreads more lube over his own cock, and then he places the bottle where he can reach it, just in case, and leans down to kiss Yunho.

He has the softest lips, so pliant under Yeosang's, and he makes the sweetest little pleased sounds, leaning into every touch. Yeosang lifts Yunho's legs again, raising his lower back completely off the mattress, but he hesitates to slide in. Yunho said he doesn't need a knot, but insecurity rages in Yeosang's mind. What if he's not enough? What if he can't break Yunho's heat? What will he do?

"Come on. Come on come on," Yunho chants, trying to angle his hips to get Yeosang inside him, and Yeosang lets out a sigh, releasing his concerns with it. Yunho needs him now. He can worry about all of that when they get there.

He goes slowly, easing his hips forward. Despite the stretching, Yunho is tight, and the head of Yeosang's cock catches at his rim and sticks. Yeosang has to push a little harder than he expected to breach him, but once he's in, he feels like he's melting.

It's so hot and wet inside, the glide of the lube just right, and when Yunho clenches around him, Yeosang's hips jerk involuntarily. Fuck, Yunho is going to outlast him. It feels too good.

Yunho's hands are everywhere, grabbing at Yeosang's shoulders, his nails scraping down Yeosang's chest. Yeosang has to take Yunho's hands in his own to calm him down, leaning over him to pin them to the bed on either side of his head.

"Shhh, I got you, puppy. I got you," he whispers as he rolls his hips forward once. He does it a second time just to hear Yunho gasp again, but then he can't stop himself from continuing, fucking into Yunho in slow, deep strokes.

Yunho goes completely limp beneath him. His head drops back to the pillow, his hands release their grip on Yeosang's, and his knees spread, falling from Yeosang's shoulders to rest in the crook of his elbows instead.

"Yeosang," he says. "Oh, fuck, Yeosang. Alpha. So good."

It makes Yeosang smile. That's all he wants, to make it good for Yunho, to extinguish the fire inside him.

Without any warning, Yunho cums between them in the most beautifully gentle, relaxed way possible. Yeosang's never seen anything like it. He just sighs, and his eyebrows drift up and together, and then his hole flutters around Yeosang as his cum splashes against Yeosang's stomach, dripping right back down onto Yunho. Yeosang fucks him through it, and Yunho whines when it's over, still hard and begging Yeosang not to stop.

"Hold your legs for me," Yeosang tells him, and Yunho grabs weakly at the back of his knees so that Yeosang can push himself upright. His hands rest on Yunho's thighs, and Yeosang fucks him harder, so hard the headboard bangs against the wall and Yunho bounces against the mattress with every thrust.

The bed is loud, but Yunho is louder. He moans and whimpers and practically screams, "There, there," when Yeosang gets the angle just right. It feels like a matter of seconds before Yunho is coming undone again, body tensing and arching as a miniscule amount of cum oozes from his cock.

It's his third orgasm in just over an hour, but he's still hard, skin still burning under Yeosang's hands.

"One more?" Yeosang asks, and Yunho nods. His eyes are closed, his breathing erratic, and he's so goddamn pretty.

"More lube. Gonna… gonna hurt. Need more."

"Yeah," Yeosang says. "I got it. Turn over for me."

Yunho nearly sobs when Yeosang pulls out, but he rolls over on his stomach and pulls his knees up under his hips. Yeosang fills him with lube once more, easier this time as his hole is so stretched open.

When Yeosang slides back in and picks up his rhythm again, Yunho does cry. His head is turned to the side, cheek buried in the pillow, and Yeosang can see the tear that trickles out and across the bridge of his nose.

"Oh! Oh, fuck, alpha," he cries, and Yeosang wants to weep at the beautiful sound. No one has ever called him alpha like this before. No one has made him feel worthy of the title like this.

"Is it good, puppy?"

"Yes. Yesyesyesyes," Yunho mumbles repeatedly, turning his face into the pillow and moaning so loud that even muffled it sounds like a scream.

It takes more this time to get Yunho to cum. He's too sensitive, his brain overloaded. Yeosang curls over Yunho's back, still pounding into him as he rests his weight on one hand and reaches beneath them to touch Yunho with the other. Yunho's legs tremble, and he gasps. He cums seconds later, harder than the previous times, clamping down around Yeosang so tight that Yeosang's hips only jerk once more, burying himself deep as he fills Yunho with his cum.

They stay like that for a long time, Yeosang's forehead resting between Yunho's shoulder blades as they both try to catch their breath. Eventually Yunho's legs give out, knees sliding down the bed until he's laying flat, Yeosang a heavy weight on top of him. He doesn't seem bothered by it, lets Yeosang lie there while they recover.

"I should clean us up," Yeosang tells him as he drops a few kisses along the solid muscle of Yunho's shoulder.

Yeosang notices the change in scent immediately, his nose so close to the source. The caramel starts to burn again, and Yeosang panics a little.

"What's wrong, puppy. Did I hurt you?"

Yunho shakes his head, face still pressed into the pillow. "Was so good," he says, turning his head so Yeosang can hear him. "It'll never be this good again."

Yeosang laughs. "You think I can't do it more than once?"

"I think you won't want to."

"Hey. Hey, no. Come here, come on. Let me see you." Yeosang rolls him over, sliding to the side so they can face each other. They're sharing the pillow now, and Yunho's face is so close. Yeosang wants to kiss away his frown, but right now Yunho needs words to comfort him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Yunho. I'm here to take care of you."

"But what about when my heat is over. What about then?"

Yunho's hair is sweaty and wet, falling over his eyes, and Yeosang lifts a hand to brush it back off of his forehead. There are tears in his eyes again. Yeosang knows it's emotional, everything that's happened on top of the hormones screwing with Yunho's body and mind, but he doesn't want Yunho to be sad.

"Yunho, it was good for me, too. No one has ever made me feel…  _ enough _ before. I don't feel broken with you. I just feel like me."

"Me too," Yunho whispers.

Yeosang sighs. He'd planned to at least wipe Yunho down with a wet towel, but Yunho looks so tired, like he's seconds from just conking out.

"Sleep, puppy. You need it. We can talk later."

"You won't leave?"

_ Jesus, what has this poor omega been through? _

"Nope, not going anywhere. I'll be right here."

Yeosang leans forward to press his lips to Yunho's forehead, and by the time he pulls away, Yunho is asleep.

Yunho dreams of fire.

The last time he'd gone camping with the guys it had been nearly freezing once the sun went down. They'd had to build a huge fire just to keep from turning into popsicles, and Yunho remembers it was difficult to find the perfect distance from the fire where it wouldn't burn him but he also wouldn't be shivering.

In his dream, Yunho steps away from the fire to cool down, but the fire follows him. It chases him. No matter where he moves, the fire is there, roasting his flesh and boiling his insides.

He wakes up kicking, tearing at the sheet that covers him. His foot connects with something solid, and he realises Yeosang is still there.

"He- help me," he hiccups. "Alpha, please."

Yeosang's hands are on him immediately, palms resting on Yunho's shoulder and neck.

"Yeah, puppy. I'm here."

Yeosang sounds sleepy, Yunho thinks, even though his hands are very much awake. His voice is rough and thick and a little slow, but his fingers are already sliding between Yunho's cheeks, checking how slick and stretched he still is.

The literal _ heat _ of his heat is burning so much hotter than before, like it's trying to consume him and leave him behind as a pile of ashes. Yeosang is the only relief, with his soft, cool skin and steady hands, gentle but insistent. Yeosang is more confident now, and Yunho likes it. He likes it a lot.

"I hope you have more lube somewhere," Yeosang comments, shaking the bottle in front of Yunho's face. It's nearly empty. "There's enough for this round, but we'll definitely need more before this is over."

"In the bag. Everything's in the bag."

Yunho lifts his head to look over Yeosang's shoulder and spots the bag on the floor beside Yeosang's clothes. "There's water and snacks and lots more lube." Far more than they'll be able to go through before his heat breaks, Yunho hopes.

"Got it. I'll grab it while you're sleeping."

Yunho wants to revolt at this. He doesn't want Yeosang going any further than the edge of the bed, where Yunho can still reach out and touch him, but before he gets the chance to voice his opinion, Yeosang is squeezing lube over his hand. Suddenly all Yunho can think about is how soon that hand will be touching him and where it will touch him when it does. The answer: his dick.

Yeosang's fingers wrap around him and squeeze, and Yunho nearly blacks out. He cums almost immediately to the sound of Yeosang trying not to laugh at how sensitive he is.

"It does nothing," he cries when he can finally inhale again. "It does nothing. I'm on _ fire, _ Alpha. Make it stop!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, puppy. Come on, on your knees."

Yunho doesn't want to complain, especially when he gets situated and Yeosang slides three slippery fingers into him. It's good. It feels nice and knocks the temperature back a notch, but right now he's really craving control. He can't control his hormones or the way his body reacts to them, and as much as he likes having Yeosang take care of him, so far he hasn't had any control over positions or tempo or anything.

Right now, what he wants more than anything is to ride Yeosang, to pin Yeosang's hips to the bed and slowly fuck himself on Yeosang's cock until his legs give out.

"Still feel okay?" Yeosang asks, and Yunho nods, ignoring his desire for control and trusting Yeosang to make it good, to make it better. "All wet, puppy. You ready?"

"Yeah." Yunho is panting already, sweating, his body reacting to Yeosang's scent and touch by cranking the heat up again, and when Yeosang removes his fingers and his hands leave Yunho's body so that he can change their position, Yunho feels the loss like a flashover. It's like thousands of match heads igniting at once all over his skin.

"Fucking sh-" he gasps. "Come back! Don't- don't leave. Don't leave me."

Oddly enough, Yeosang doesn't just jump right in to shush him and touch him and reassure Yunho that he's not leaving. He settles against the headboard, sitting up, legs extended, and he bumps Yunho's elbow with his knee. When Yunho finally manages to unscrunch his eyes and look at Yeosang, they're a bit teary, but he finds Yeosang sitting calmly, still as naked as when they'd fallen asleep, and smiling at Yunho with his arms extended in invitation. When Yunho doesn't move right away, he pats his thighs and jerks his head. "C'mere."

Yunho scrambles up the bed, long legs weak and wobbly under his own weight. "Can't expect me to do all the work all the time," Yeosang teases as Yunho clambers into his lap, and Yunho just nods, eager and ready to do whatever it takes to be full again.

Yeosang has to scoot down a little to make room for Yunho's knees, and Yunho can't find any place for his hands except the wall over the bed. He knows he's big, tall and fairly heavy too, and Yeosang is a bit small for an alpha, but he's surprisingly sturdy under Yunho. He doesn't complain when Yunho settles over him and collapses against him, chest pressed over Yeosang's face.

Yeosang's hands trail down Yunho's back, over the curve of his ass, slick with lube, and come to rest on Yunho's hips. This is what Yunho wanted, but now that he's here, he can't think clearly enough to get started. But Yeosang is here, too. Yeosang knows what he needs.

"Lift up a bit," he says, reaching down to grab the lube from beside Yunho's calf. He stretches an arm under Yunho and blindly pours a palmful of lube over his cock before guiding Yunho down again. He can't see, and the tip bumps against Yunho's cheek on the first try, but Yunho tilts his hips to find the right angle.

Never in his life has it been so easy to slide down around an alpha. He bottoms out almost immediately, without having to rock his way down or getting stuck halfway, without needing to ask for more lube, and it's still slick enough for the friction to be just right when he accidentally lifts his hips as he tries to adjust his knees.

"Alpha," he moans, dropping back down again. It's so  _ good.  _ He does it again, presses his nose to Yeosang's neck and whines into his skin when his hips just… don't stop. Can't stop. As long as he's moving, the heat gradually seeps out of his body through his fingers and toes. He just knows the second he stops, his skin will burst into flames.

Yeosang cradles the back of Yunho's head in his hands, holds him steady as Yunho mouths at his collarbones. Yunho wants to bite, is almost too gone to stop himself, and Yeosang encourages him with soft words.

"Yeah, puppy. Go ahead. Do what you need to do."

Yunho rocks his hips down as he sniffs and licks at Yeosang's neck, searching for the right spot. He opens his mouth wider, teeth grazing skin, and then he clamps his jaw around the flesh, bruising without breaking through.

_ Me, _ he thinks.  _ Do me.  _ If his brain could logic he'd understand that Yeosang can't bite him back if he doesn't let go, but the heat has control now. All he can do is whimper.

"My turn?" Yeosang asks, voice tight, fingers carding through Yunho's hair. "Do I get to bite you, too?" Yunho whines again in response. "Come on, puppy. My turn. Show alpha your pretty neck."

Yunho finally releases Yeosang and bares his neck. Yeosang doesn't take as long to find a spot. He thrusts up as he bites down, and Yunho cums, sobbing.

"Again?" Yeosang asks. Yunho hasn't stopped riding him. His legs are shaky, his arms as well. His knees have already slid out from under him so he has almost no room to move, but his hips are still going, still chasing.

"Again. Again, again."  _ Again again again forever, _ Yunho thinks. He can feel the tightness in his gut, knows he's only got one more orgasm in him this round, and it's only just out of reach. His legs don't have the strength to finish this way. "Again, please alpha, again."

Yeosang slides his hands down Yunho's back to his ass and grips him tight until he falls still.

"Shhh, I know," Yeosang says when Yunho sobs. "We need more lube, though." Yeosang's alpha strength kicks in again, and he flips them over, Yunho flailing beneath him as his back hits the mattress. Yeosang adjusts their bodies so that he can push his weight up onto his knees. He doesn't bother pulling out this time, upending the bottle and squeezing whatever's left inside it over his cock and Yunho's ass as he begins to thrust slowly, lube gathering around Yunho's rim and spreading every time Yeosang enters him again.

There's a moment, a feverish moment, where Yunho's heat makes him want to beg Yeosang to knot him, but he manages to silence the thought. He really doesn't need the knot to break his heat, like he'd told Yeosang.

There's a gland near the prostate in omegas that's like a button; it needs to be pressed to shut down the heat process. It can definitely be done without a knot, for any omega, but in most omegas it's embedded deep in the tissue inside them. As some sort of blessing, the same condition that prevents Yunho from producing slick also makes the gland sit closer to the surface.

Yunho still craves the knot, especially now with his hormones flooding his system and the alpha pheromones surrounding him. It's basic omega biology. He can't control it. But it's not necessary. That craving wouldn't even be triggered if Yeosang didn't smell so overwhelmingly alpha, but Yeosang hasn't said a single word this whole time to make Yunho feel self-conscious about his condition, and Yunho absolutely refuses to give Yeosang any reason to feel that way either.

Besides, despite the lack of a knot, Yeosang is damn near perfect. Between the pace of their movements and Yunho's fever and the ceiling fan running non-stop to cool Yunho's skin, the lube practically evaporates between orgasms, but Yeosang has yet to let it get to a point where it's even mildly uncomfortable. He hasn't made Yunho feel embarrassed about the need for more lube, or any lube. Without a doubt, Yeosang is the best partner Yunho has ever had for his heat.

Yeosang angles his hips so that he rubs against Yunho's prostate, and Yunho jerks and gasps at every thrust.

"Alpha," he whines, and Yeosang's cock twitches, flexing inside him.

"That's right, puppy. Alpha's here. You gonna cum for me?"

Yeosang is moving so slowly. It's more like a massage than actual fucking, more intimate because Yeosang is curved over him, one hand beside Yunho's head and the other holding one of Yunho's legs up by the back of his knee. Yeosang's face is so close to Yunho's, and they kissed before, Yunho knows. He thinks. He can't  _ really _ remember, memory hazy from the heat, but he thinks they did. But the proximity of Yeosang's face to his own, the way they're breathing the same air, yeah... it's definitely intimate.

Yeosang's breathing is labored, and his eyes are pinched shut. Yunho's really too gone to consider why until he hears Yeosang moan, a shaky, breathy sound that finally clues Yunho in. He's close. He's clearly trying to hold off for Yunho, but his rhythm falters here and there, and he's biting his lip so hard it looks like it hurts.

And Yunho is already so close, too. Everything Yeosang is doing is perfect. It feels amazing, and he's just… inching toward that edge, but it's not enough. Yunho needs Yeosang to let go and fuck him like he means it. Yunho doesn't have the strength or stamina or the leverage to do it himself.

"Alpha…  _ Yeosang!" _

Somehow, that does it. Yeosang's eyes snap open, searching Yunho's face, checking that nothing is wrong, and nothing _ is _ wrong. But Yeosang sees something there anyway, possibly desperation, and he kicks his hips faster, lets his control slip.

At first, Yunho tries to match Yeosang's pace, arching his spine to bump his hips up, but he can't keep up, finally surrendering and letting his entire body relax as the pressure builds and builds. He breathes through it every time Yeosang brushes his prostate, stuttering but calm. He feels the tension in his belly coil tighter, tighter, but it's the only tension he feels, his muscles lax as Yeosang grunts above him and cums and Yunho's orgasm washes over him in the gentlest waves. Like sitting on the beach at low tide, cool pleasure rolls across his body, and he breathes through it, savoring it all.

Yunho is too tired to move, relieved for the moment but exhausted. With nothing tying them together, Yeosang slips out of him to roll onto his side beside Yunho. He curls into the space between Yunho's arm and his body, still sweating and breathing heavily.

Yunho needs to rest, and he's glad Yeosang isn't demanding to clean him up right away, no matter how gross it feels to have so much cum and lube drying on his skin. It's comforting that Yeosang stays by his side, cheek pressed to Yunho's shoulder and his hand resting over Yunho's heart.

"That was beautiful," Yeosang murmurs, lips tickling Yunho's ribs. "You were beautiful. So pretty when you cum, puppy."

"Keep calling me pretty puppy and I'll never let you leave," Yunho whispers. His eyes are closed, his tongue a little too lazy in his mouth so that he slurs a bit. He's not so out of it that he thinks Yeosang won't understand, but he's far enough gone that he doesn't have the capacity to worry about how his words sound, especially when Yeosang doesn't stiffen beside him at all, just snuggles closer and hums, almost like a very content kitty purring as he gets comfortable.

"Sleep, pretty puppy."

Yunho does.

There are a lot of supplies in Yunho's heat bag, Yeosang finds as he sifts through it in search of more lube and a snack. Yunho has stocked up on plenty of both, protein bars and peanut butter crackers, bottled water, a twelve-pack of bottles of lube as well as several individual bottles, and packets of disposable wipes that Yeosang uses to clean himself before slipping off to the bathroom in his boxers for something bigger to use for Yunho.

He also finds a small collection of toys, which makes sense if Yunho was planning on going through his heat alone, but it's more than just dildos and plugs. There's also some stuff that Yeosang doesn't even recognise. Especially befuddling is a kind of ring. It looks like a cock ring, but it's bigger, thicker, and made of a flesh-like material that stretches and gives when Yeosang touches it.

Yeosang has never seen anything like it before, and he wonders what it's for as he gently wipes at Yunho's skin with a warm, fluffy hand towel. He cleans away as much sweat, lube, and cum as he can, and then he settles in bed beside Yunho, snacking on some crackers and water and petting Yunho's matted blue hair off of his forehead. He still can't figure out what the ring is for, but when he checks his messages on his phone and finds several from Wooyoung reminding him to take good care of Yunho,  _ like Wooyoung has, _ he decides to ask.

_ You've helped him before? _

_ He lives! _

_ Yes, I have _

_ And since I know where you are now _

_ BE GOOD FOR HIM OR I WILL MURDER YOU _

_ Yeah I'm trying _

_ He's sleeping now but _

Yeosang eyes the bag sitting in the middle of the bedroom floor. It would be easier to send a picture of the thing to Wooyoung and ask what the hell it is, but Yunho whimpers in his sleep when Yeosang attempts to move. His skin already feels feverish under Yeosang's fingers. He needs the rest. Yeosang doesn't want to disturb him by leaving again.

_ But what? _

_ Yeoyeo what happened! _

_ ANSWER ME! _

_ I found something in his bag and was wondering if you know what it is _

_ Yeosang, you know what sex toys look like, right? _

_ Omegas need a knot to break our heat _

_ It's probably just a dildo, nerd _

_ No I know what a dildo looks like thanks _

_ This is some kind of ring? _

_ OH! _

_ He still has that? _

_ We tried it once _

_ It was my idea. _

_ I bought it thinking it would help but _

_ It just hurt him _

_ Stretched him too much _

_ Okay but _

_ What is it? _

_ It's a knot _

_ Like a prosthetic knot _

_ Oh. _ Yeosang hasn't ever heard of anything like that. He's explored toys for omegas before, knowing that if he ever ended up in a relationship with an omega he'd have to find another way to break their heat, but it had all been dildos with simulated knots, toys that have pumps or buttons and inflate to give the omega the feeling of being knotted. He's curious about this prosthesis.

_ How does it work? _

_ Dude it's a ring _

_ I wore it and I fucked him _

_ But I told you he didn't like it _

_ I'm honestly surprised he kept it _

_ Why did you buy it? _

_ You're an alpha I'm not _

_ I needed something to break his heat _

_ Why does it matter? _

He gets it now. It's something meant to be used with a partner, a partner who is not an alpha. It's probably marketed to beta-omega couples, and Yeosang has never seen one before because he's only ever looked at toys meant for an individual omega. He'd never considered a prosthetic knot. Even his doctors had never suggested it, probably assuming Yeosang would just choose to mate with a beta and wouldn't need such a thing.

Yeosang is still curious. He's not sure he'd ever want to use one, but the idea is in his head now, rattling around in there. He can't quite shake it, even when he curls up beside Yunho again to try to rest while he can.

Yunho wakes up kicking again, and Yeosang groans as Yunho's heel slams into his knee. Even before he's fully awake he can feel the heat radiating from Yunho's skin. It's like sleeping next to an open oven cranked all the way up. Yeosang worries for Yunho's safety.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the nightstand, Yeosang tugs at Yunho until he's almost upright.

"Shhh, puppy. Don't worry, I'll take care of you in a second. I just need you to drink a little water first." He tips the bottle up against Yunho's lips, but most of it drips down his chin.

"Too hot," Yunho complains.

"I know. I know it's hot. Water will help. Come on."

It takes several more minutes and the distraction of Yeosang's hand cupping Yunho's cock to get him to focus on the water, but he finally gulps down a few mouthfuls.

"That's it. Good puppy," he says as he lays Yunho back against the pillows again. Yunho's hands are fisted in the blankets, pulling them close, tucking them around his body even though Yeosang knows he's far too hot for it. It's probably instinct, Yunho trying to adjust his nest to feel more secure. Yeosang would be concerned that Yunho might overheat, but it turns out not to matter much because a few seconds later Yunho is kicking the blankets away again.

"Fucking- fuck, Alpha! Touch me!" he wails, reaching both arms out in search of Yeosang, and Yeosang takes Yunho's hands in his own, encouraging Yunho to guide them to where he wants them.

Yunho chooses to pull Yeosang down over himself, moving his hands to Yeosang's shoulders so he can push Yeosang down his body. Yeosang sees where he's being led, and he's very much up for it. Yunho's grip weakens when Yeosang's lips meet his skin to trail kisses down Yunho's chest, starting just below his left nipple.

Yeosang kisses every rib. He licks at the dip below Yunho's sternum, sucks a pretty bruise to the right of his belly button, and scrapes his teeth over Yunho's hip bone. He can taste the caramel on Yunho's skin, skin that's so hot that Yeosang is pretty sure his saliva evaporates off of it immediately.

By the time Yeosang finally reaches his destination, Yunho is so worked up he bucks into Yeosang's throat as soon as his lips close around him. He groans when Yeosang steadies him with a hand on his hip, and he reaches down to thread his fingers into Yeosang's hair. He's seeking control, tries to push Yeosang's head down, but Yeosang is stronger than Yunho. If Yeosang is going to suck him off, he's going to do it at his own pace. He's going to take it slow, and he's going to enjoy every fucking second.

His voice is already rough when he pulls off to tell Yunho to be patient. "I'll make it good, puppy. Just let me take care of you." Yunho nods, and he's obviously trying, but he still squirms as Yeosang kisses down his shaft to his balls.

Yunho's scent is stronger here, more of the tartness of the apple and less of the caramel. Yeosang can't help taking a few extra seconds to just breathe him in before flattening his tongue against the underside of Yunho's cock and licking back up to swirl around the head. Even Yunho's precum tastes a bit like caramel, just a hint of sweetness to it. Yeosang groans at the taste, smearing it over his lips and licking it off, putting on a show for Yunho who whines as he tries to keep his eyes open long enough to watch.

Placing a final kiss to the tip, Yeosang opens his lips and slides down around Yunho. He doesn't go down all the way, but he wraps his fingers around the base, creating a barrier so that Yunho can't choke him, and he releases Yunho's hip, encouraging Yunho to go ahead and use his mouth. Yunho doesn't have to be told twice. As soon as his hips are free he jerks upwards, cumming as the sudden movement causes Yeosang's hand to squeeze around him.

He doesn't stop, because of course he doesn't. The first orgasm of each round does nothing to take the edge off. Yunho continues fucking his cum into Yeosang's throat, but Yeosang stays calm, breathes through his nose and swallows it all. He lets Yunho continue until he runs out of steam, whining and begging for Yeosang to help.

"Can- can you… finger me while you- fuck!" he exclaims when Yeosang removes his hand and slides all the way down. There's no way Yeosang can do what he's asking. He doesn't have enough hands to keep Yunho from gagging him while fucking Yunho open with his fingers, but he can definitely give Yunho more.

Yeosang swallows again, throat clenching around Yunho's tip, and Yunho thrashes against the bed, fingers tearing at the sheets. "Holy fuck, oh, I'm gonna cum again," he warns, and Yeosang just gives his thigh a little squeeze to let him know it's okay before he swallows once more. He backs off a little as Yunho cums, letting Yunho's release coat his tongue, a bit of it even dripping down his chin.

"Fuck,  _ fuck. _ Fuck me, alpha," Yunho babbles as Yeosang pulls off, mouth still full. He doesn't reach for the lube right away. Instead he gets Yunho's attention, helping him spread his thighs and lift his knees, making sure he's watching so he can see as Yeosang slips two of his fingers between his own lips. He collects Yunho's cum on his fingers, pulls them out to show Yunho how wet they are, and then rubs them around Yunho's rim.

Yunho's eyes roll back, eyelids fluttering before they fall shut, and his body stills when Yeosang's fingers enter him. Yeosang can't get enough of Yunho's reactions. He loves the way Yunho bites his lip and then licks it when Yeosang's knuckles press against his rim, the way his chest heaves with every breathy moan as Yeosang pumps his fingers, spreading Yunho's own cum inside him, the way Yunho's fingertips dig into the backs of his thighs as his hips jerk in response to Yeosang grazing his prostate.

Even folded up like this, Yunho's legs are so long. He's long _ everywhere,  _ and strong, too, muscles bulging under his skin every time he moves. It's a beautiful sight, watching Yunho fall apart beneath him.

The prep is easy this time. Yeosang still uses a ridiculous amount of lube, but Yunho is able to take three fingers almost right away. He's so needy, begs so pretty when Yeosang's fingers just aren't enough, and Yeosang doesn't want to keep him waiting.

"Try to stay awake after this," Yeosang says as he crawls up the bed and over Yunho. "Need to eat something, and I know you'll sleep better if you go to bed clean."

"Don't mess up my ne-hest," Yunho moans when the tip of Yeosang's cock presses against his rim.

"Would never," Yeosang promises, and he pushes in, growling as he fills Yunho in one slow, smooth stroke. "Smells like us."

Yeosang fucks him deeper than before, with all the control he can muster. He can tell Yunho wants it harder and faster at first, but Yeosang calms him by stroking his cock in time with his thrusts. Yunho cums twice more, and by the time Yeosang finally lets go and topples into a blissful orgasm, Yunho is so wrung out he's completely limp against the sheets.

"Let me wash you, puppy," Yeosang says as he eases Yunho's legs back down to the mattress. "Warm bath and clean body, doesn't that sound nice?"

"Yeah," Yunho nods. "Sounds nice. Carry me."

Yeosang laughs. He's strong, alpha strong, strong enough to manhandle Yunho in bed as long as Yunho allows it, but he doesn't think carrying Yunho will end well for either of them.

"How about you walk but you can lean against me?"

"Fine, fine, but I'm not washing myself."

The bath is significantly less pleasant than Yunho had anticipated. The idea of being clean in the middle of his heat had sounded so promising, but the moment the warm water touches his skin, he suddenly feels heatsick. He nearly gags as Yeosang lowers him into the tub. He knows there's nothing in his stomach that can come up except the water Yeosang forced on him when he woke up, but the threat is there.

Yeosang ends up emptying the tub, the sloshing of the water just too much for Yunho to handle, but he does wash Yunho, gently and thoroughly. He massages shampoo and conditioner into Yunho's hair and finds a cup in the kitchen to rinse him with, tipping Yunho's head back to pour warm water over him.

When Yunho is clean, Yeosang offers to dry him and tuck him into bed, but Yunho chooses to stay while Yeosang showers. It turns out the shower doesn't bother him nearly as much as the bath, and watching Yeosang lather soap over his skin _ does things _ to Yunho. It's not just his heat, and it doesn't trigger the next round prematurely, but Yunho can't help stumbling forward to touch Yeosang as the soap bubbles slide down his legs.

Yunho wants to suck him off, even drops to his knees to kiss Yeosang's thighs. He shouldn't, he knows. Yunho's heat isn't even half over. He doesn't need to wear Yeosang out too early, but it's just so tempting.

Thankfully, Yeosang doesn't seem opposed to the idea. He gets hard after only a little nuzzling and a few nips to his inner thighs, and he leans back against the tile and guides Yunho's head as he takes Yeosang into his mouth.

Everything feels like more, amplified, like it's in slow motion. Yeosang moans so deep as Yunho sucks and licks. Thanks to his heat Yunho hasn't had time to appreciate the sounds that fall from Yeosang's lips, hasn't even been aware of them until now, but it's beautiful, as is the way Yeosang's body responds to Yunho's touch.

Yunho can't see with the shower still running, spraying lukewarm water that splashes off of Yeosang's skin and into his eyes, but he feels Yeosang's legs tense under his hands, solid, sturdy muscle that feels like warm marble covered in satin beneath his fingers. He slides one hand up, over Yeosang's hip and across his stomach. It's flat and smooth, the skin soft, lovely.

Yunho is hard, too, but for the first time in probably two days, it doesn't seem important. What's important is the way Yeosang's breath hitches every time his cock rubs against the ridges on the roof of Yunho's mouth, how his grip on Yunho's hair grows tighter every time he bobs his head. What's important is the desperate need Yunho feels to show his appreciation to Yeosang for everything he's done to take care of him so far.

"Puppy," Yeosang says, fingers twisting in Yunho's hair. "Oh, good puppy. So good. Yunho, I'm-"

He doesn't get to finish, the breath punched out of his chest in a loud groan as his entire body locks up with his orgasm. Yunho just sucks and licks and swallows until Yeosang is jerking and shivering with oversensitivity. He tugs Yunho away from his cock and helps him onto his feet, and then he pins Yunho against the far wall of the tub and licks his own cum from between Yunho's lips as he takes Yunho's dick into his hand.

Yeosang's fist is tight around him, moving in short, fast strokes, the obvious aim of which is to get him off as quickly as possible. It works, too. In just a few minutes Yunho cums again. It's dry. His body hasn't had time to recover from the last round of heat sex, but it's no less pleasurable.

Yunho barely remembers anything after that. He knows Yeosang rinses them both again, head to toe, because the water is so cold by now that it feels like ice pouring over his body. He knows Yeosang lugs him out of the tub and props him against the bathroom door to dry him off with a towel that smells like ice cream. It makes him wrinkle his nose, and he tries to make a mental note to wash Mingi's towel before he returns, but his internal calendar is offline.

He knows he doesn't help much as Yeosang tries to get him back into bed, and that his nest is all wrong again when he flops onto it. He makes a weak attempt at fixing it, shoving the blankets around as far as his arms can reach, which is pretty far but apparently not far enough. It's still not right as he grows too tired and gives up.

He knows the nest issue is still bothering him when Yeosang crawls up on the bed beside him, but it all melts away as Yeosang turns him onto his side and snuggles into his back, nose pressed to the base of his neck. Yeosang pulls the nearest blanket over them, and miraculously, that does it. That's it, the key. The nest is fixed. It's perfect. Yunho can finally relax, and he falls asleep to the sound of Yeosang's voice murmuring in his ear.

"Good puppy. So good. Sleep now."

By the fifth day of Yunho's heat, Yeosang is so tired he can barely move. He's tired of sex, tired of living on protein bars and peanut butter crackers, and tired of sleeping only a few hours at a time. But he never grows tired of Yunho. Each time Yunho's heat spikes, Yeosang grows more fond of his cute little whimpers, the way his forehead creases in his sleep as he searches blindly for Yeosang in the sheets, the sweet sound of him pleading for alpha's help.

But it's the fifth day, and while most omegas would be coming out of their heat by now, it seems Yunho's is only getting worse. He's less coherent, even when he's temporarily sated, the time between rounds is growing shorter while the duration of each round grows longer, and Yeosang can't convince him to eat more than a couple of bites at a time.

Yeosang knows every omega is different, and admittedly he has very little experience with heats, but he's starting to think he's not really helping Yunho at all.

"Alpha," Yunho mumbles, eyes still closed and fingers clenching around Yeosang's waist. He's rutting against Yeosang's thigh, and Yeosang highly suspects he's not even awake. His suspicions are confirmed when Yunho cums with a shuddering sigh and relaxes against Yeosang again.

Yeosang frowns, combing his fingers through Yunho's fringe and tucking the loose strands behind his ear.

"How can I help you, puppy?" Yeosang whispers. "How do I end this torture for you?"

Yeosang has a feeling he knows the answer. Yunho said he didn't need a knot to break his heat, but maybe he does this time. Maybe it's because of Yeosang's pheromones. Maybe Yunho's body senses an alpha and _ expects _ the knot.

Yeosang isn't sure what to do beyond offering Yunho a toy when the next wave hits. He's pretty sure it's the only way they're ever going to be able to leave the bedroom.

As carefully as possible, Yeosang extracts himself from Yunho's clinging limbs to wipe himself off and get some supplies set up for when Yunho wakes up. He sneaks out to run to the bathroom and grabs the supplies he brought from the kitchen on his way back. He checks the bottle of lube on the nightstand and decides it would probably be a good idea to have more, just in case. As he's digging through Yunho's bag to see if there's something other than peanut butter crackers left to snack on, he finds the toys again. With Yunho's heat going so long and the way he can hardly string a sentence together when he's conscious, Yeosang decides to push the bag closer to the bed, just in case. If Yunho _ does _ need a knot, Yeosang wants to be prepared.

Yeosang spends the next hour answering emails from work and going through his messages on his phone while Yunho sleeps fitfully beside him. He tries to keep a hand on Yunho's body whenever possible because Yunho seems to sleep more calmly when he does. Just as he sends a final email to his boss to let him know he should be back to work after the weekend (he hopes), Yunho starts thrashing around under the sheets.

"Hot," he whines, and Yeosang just nods, helping him find his way out from under the covers.

"I know, puppy. I know it's hot. Let me help."

The thought of another round of sex in such a short period makes Yeosang want to cry. He's tempted to drag Yunho back into the tub and fill it with cold water since nothing else he's tried has helped, but he knows it would probably only prolong the heat and make Yunho sick on top of it. So instead, he dutifully takes the lube from the nightstand and spreads Yunho's legs to get him good and wet again.

Yunho is just barely awake. His eyes are closed, but his body still responds to Yeosang's touch. He's so hard, but Yeosang can tell he's sore from the past few days. He whimpers when Yeosang's fingers slide in, and his hips stutter like he's unsure whether to draw Yeosang's fingers deeper or flinch away.

The last few rounds have been really rough. Yunho doesn't cum while Yeosang is prepping him anymore. He's too sensitive for it to actually feel good anymore.

Yeosang knows his own body is only responding to the heat pheromones filling the room. He shouldn't even be able to get hard again, but here he is, on his knees between Yunho's thighs, cock standing proud, curving up towards his tummy.

"Roll on your side," Yeosang tells him, pushing at Yunho's hip until he's facing the wall, cuddled up to the mess of tangled blankets and pillows that makes up the perimeter of his nest. Yeosang lays down behind him and pulls one of Yunho's knees up to prop it on a pillow.

He slicks his cock generously and slides into Yunho, pushing him into the bedding. Yunho's cock rubs against a blanket, and he whines at the rough texture. It's not the right kind of friction. Yeosang knows it probably feels horrible, but it's not like he can lube the blanket. Yunho cums anyway, with a sleepy hiccupped sob.

"I'm sorry, puppy. I know it's awful. It's gonna be over soon, I promise." Yeosang wishes he could believe that himself.

He begins rocking into Yunho with short, shallow thrusts. The position isn't ideal, but it's at least less work this way. They're both out of energy. They don't have the strength left to go as hard as they have been.

Yunho's body picks up on Yeosang's rhythm, and his hips try to match it. He starts to cry as Yeosang fucks him, tears slipping from beneath closed eyelids and rolling down his cheeks. Yeosang is being so slow and gentle, trying so hard not to let it hurt, not to let Yunho down, but he knows he's failing. 

"Knot," Yunho cries, and it takes a significant effort for Yeosang to avoid crying along with him. "Alpha, please. Knot."

It's the first time he's asked, the first time he's even mentioned a knot since that first afternoon, and Yeosang… he just wants to help, he does.

He moves to pull out so he can get one of Yunho's dildos from the bag, but Yunho screams when he tries to leave. He reaches back and claws at Yeosang's legs in an effort to keep him from leaving the bed. Yeosang panics. He can't quite reach into the bag without moving, and he can't leave the bed without Yunho losing it. The only thing he _ can _ reach is the ring.

Yeosang hesitates, squishing the strange synthetic material between his fingers, and Yunho cries harder, pushing his hips back against Yeosang's but completely failing to angle properly. Yeosang's cock just slides up his crack, nestled between Yunho's cheeks but nowhere near his entrance.

Pleas fall from Yunho's lips. The words are a jumbled mess, but Yeosang understands their meaning:  _ hurry. _

"Puppy," he says. "Yunho.  _ Omega,"  _ he adds a bit more forcefully when Yunho still doesn't seem to hear him. He places a hand on Yunho's hip to calm him, and Yunho whimpers pitifully but finally stops wiggling.

"You want a knot, puppy? Want me to knot you?"

"Please.  _ Please, _ alpha," Yunho nods frantically.

"Be patient for a minute, okay? I know it hurts. It's so hot, I know, but you can do it, right? You can be good for alpha."

"Yes. Yes, I'm good. I'll be good."

"Good. Now stay still while I get ready, please."

Yunho hugs the pillow in front of him tighter, trembling as he waits for Yeosang, but he doesn't move, doesn't rut against the blankets or press his hips back in search of Yeosang. He just lies there and shivers.

Yeosang isn't sure how the ring works. Wooyoung said wear it and fuck him, but it looks too small to fit Yeosang. It stretches though, enough that Yeosang can get it over the head at least.

It snaps against him like a rubber band when he lets go, and Yeosang gasps at the sudden pain. He tries to just slide it on the rest of the way, but it won't budge. It's snug. He has to peel it away from his skin to move it into place, and he's much more careful as he releases it this time.

Yeosang slicks his entire length with another layer of lube, making sure the ring is coated too, and he strokes himself a couple of times just to be sure the ring isn't going to slide off and get stuck inside Yunho. He hadn't expected it to feel good. He thought he'd lose sensation through the ring, but it's almost like the ring magnifies the feeling instead.

"Ready, puppy?" he asks as he closes the distance between them. Yunho nods again and reaches back to spread himself open for Yeosang.

He's so loose at this point, so wet from all the lube Yeosang has used, that Yeosang slides in with almost no resistance. Until he reaches the ring. Even with the lube it's just a bit too wide to go in without a little force, but Yeosang doesn't want to hurt Yunho.

He nudges his hips forward gently, the ring bumping against Yunho's rim. He pushes a little, but he stops when Yunho whines.

"Too much?"

"No. No no no. Too dry."

Though it's already pretty slick, Yeosang drizzles more lube over the ring and spreads some around Yunho's rim, just to be safe.

"Better?" he asks as he shifts forward again. It feels the same to Yeosang, but Yunho moans, pressing back against Yeosang again. His hole stretches further, trying to accommodate the ring but it's still a tight fit. Too tight, and Yeosang sees why when he looks down to check how far he's managed to get.

Like a real knot, the ring is swelling. Where before it only added half a centimeter to Yeosang's girth, it's now at least twice that, and it's still growing. He curses Wooyoung under his breath for not explaining how the damn thing works, but then he curses himself for not asking because Wooyoung has no idea about Yeosang's condition. He would have assumed Yeosang wouldn't need a fake knot.

Yeosang starts to panic. The ring is expanding fast enough that he worries it won't be able to fit, not if he doesn't force it in before it grows too much, but he also has no idea how big it will get. If he does force it and it grows too big, he might hurt Yunho.

"Alpha," Yunho groans. He's getting impatient, but Yeosang still isn't sure how to proceed.

"Hold on, puppy. I need to-"

"No!" Yunho cuts him off. With a sudden burst of energy, he rolls away and onto his knees before turning to crawl clumsily towards Yeosang. "Down," he says, and Yeosang hesitates a moment too long because the next thing he knows, Yunho is pushing at his shoulders, forcing him to lay flat on his back. As concerned as he is for Yunho's safety, Yeosang knows that omega breeding instincts are strong. If Yunho is taking over, his body must know what he needs.

"Okay, puppy," he says as Yunho straddles Yeosang's thighs and holds him down with almost his entire weight resting on Yeosang's shoulders. "You're in charge, but be careful. Don't hurt yourself."

Yunho grunts in response, shuffling his knees forward until he's hovering over Yeosang's cock. Yeosang slicks himself with fresh lube one more time and holds himself steady while Yunho sinks down on him.

The ring is too big to fit, but Yunho doesn't stop. He rocks his hips down, over and over. Yeosang can feel him sinking lower, taking more and more of the ring each time he moves until there's a suctioned  _ pop _ and Yunho gasps and cums.

He slumps over Yeosang's body, panting and shuddering as the pleasure washes over him. His muscles flutter around Yeosang, around the fake knot that is now stuck inside Yunho.

It's so tight. The ring must be very high tech because it doesn't feel like a prosthetic. It feels like it's a part of Yeosang.

Every sensation feels amplified as Yunho squeezes around the knot, and he only takes a short break to ride out his orgasm before beginning to grind down on it. He rotates his hips in tiny circles that make Yeosang's body jerk in response to the electric zaps of pleasure. Yeosang can't even function. It feels so good his brain has shut down and all of his movements are completely involuntary.

Yeosang's hands grip Yunho's thighs, fingers twitching against his skin. Yeosang's hips stutter up every time Yunho moves. His mouth hangs open, and he mumbles breathy little words that don't make sense together, mostly Yunho's name and a mixture of different curses and moans.

Yunho's pace quickly becomes frantic, completely losing any semblance of rhythm. He tries to bounce, but the knot limits how far he can move, so he just ruts forward, rubbing his cock against Yeosang's stomach. His hips are practically vibrating, he's so desperate.

It's driving Yeosang insane. He's teetering on the edge, the knot pulling at his cock every time Yunho jolts forward, Yunho's ass clamping around Yeosang when he temporarily angles his hips just right.

It's too much. Too much of everything. Yeosang is overwhelmed, needs some control. He sits up suddenly, knocking his head on Yunho's chin, but Yunho doesn't seem to notice it, only whining at the loss of friction on his dick. Yeosang pulls Yunho to him, chest to chest, and holds tight around his back as he rolls them over again.

Yunho's legs immediately lift to wrap around Yeosang's waist. His back arches away from the bed, and Yeosang's knees slip underneath him. When Yunho tries to relax against the mattress again, all it does is push Yeosang deeper.

"Touch yourself, puppy," Yeosang insists, hips moving in short, tight little thrusts, as far as the knot will allow him to move. Yunho pulses around him as his hand wraps around his own dick, and Yeosang is so goddamn close. He slams forward, the knot inching in just a tiny bit further, and Yunho screams, spilling a few drops of cum across his knuckles. He squeezes so tight around Yeosang that Yeosang loses it, shouting Yunho's name as he cums.

His orgasm seems to go on forever, cock dribbling more every time Yeosang breathes. The pressure doesn't release, even when Yunho goes completely limp beneath him. It feels like the ring is shrinking around Yeosang, and he wants it off, but it's still too big to pull out.

Yeosang waits there, the side of his face smushed against Yunho's chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breaths and listening to the steady beat of his heart, until he's completely drained and soft enough to pull out. The ring stays on him as he pulls free, but it slides off easily once he's out. Yeosang drops it on the far side of the nest and falls asleep next to Yunho, praying that his heat is finally broken.

It's dark when Yunho wakes. The blinds are closed, but there's no light behind them either, and the lamp on the nightstand has been switched off. A glance at the clock on his dresser tells him it's the middle of the night. The room feels cold, Yunho is starving, and while he's no longer sleepy, he is bone tired physically.

Yeosang is still there, snoring softly at the very edge of the bed, looking like he's about to fall off. Yunho tugs him closer, and Yeosang immediately snuggles into him without opening his eyes.

As he lies there, awake but too sore to move, Yunho tries to remember the end of his heat. All he comes up with are hazy memories, fuzzy flashes of himself taking control, pushing Yeosang down and riding him, but he can't remember why. He can't think of any reason he would have done that.

Yunho might be atypical for an omega, bigger than most and not as conventionally pretty, not like San and Wooyoung and Hongjoong. He's loud and excitable, childish at times even. He doesn't let the other guys push him around, even Seonghwa and Jongho, though they never really try, and if he's approached or threatened by a random alpha in public, he doesn't cow to them. But during his heat he's different.

During his heat, Yunho's omega instincts take over. He feels compelled to submit to whatever alpha is around, and it doesn't matter whether the alpha has his best interest at heart. He's been mistreated in the past by alphas who either didn't care about him or didn't understand the kind of special care that Yunho requires, and Yunho is always so vulnerable, so compliant, uncaring of his own needs except the need for an alpha to fuck and knot him. It's very unlike Yunho, or any omega, to take control during his heat. It must have been something about Yeosang that did it.

Yunho looks down at Yeosang, at the way he's curled up against Yunho's side, cuddled into him like Yeosang is the one who just spent five long days repeatedly begging to be bred. Yunho knows he's not an average omega, but Yeosang isn't an average alpha, either. He thinks he was right about them. In the most mismatched way, they match.

Yeosang mumbles something in his sleep that Yunho doesn't quite understand. He huffs and rubs his cheek against Yunho's shoulder, and Yunho runs his fingers up and down Yeosang's arm until he settles again.

Yeosang has been an absolute angel this whole time, a godsend. He's probably just as exhausted as Yunho, and Yunho is certainly not going to interrupt his rest just yet. He closes his eyes again, inhaling the scent of whiskey and smoke that fills the room. He lies there with Yeosang for what feels like a very long time, still awake but relaxed, peaceful, content.

It's the buzzing of a phone that finally wakes Yeosang. He knows his own is silenced, so it must be Yunho's, and when he opens his eyes to determine whether he should wake Yunho to answer it, he finds Yunho's phone already in his hand.

"Wha' time izzit?"

"Noonish," Yunho replies, grinning, though Yeosang doesn't know if the grin is directed at himself or the device that's barely three whole inches from Yunho's nose. "Hungry?"

"Starving," Yeosang says through a yawn. "I'd kill for some pizza."

"I'd kill for a shower."

"That too," Yeosang laughs, and he wrinkles his nose at the overwhelming scent of heat sex lingering in the stuffy room. "We need to clean up… air this place out. Your roommate won't be happy if he comes home to this smell."

"Mingi won't care. He probably won't be back for a few more days anyway. He's at Seonghwa's," Yunho says, like Yeosang has any idea what that means. Yeosang doesn't bother asking though. He just nods and rolls onto his back to stretch.

They're still naked. Yeosang feels a little embarrassed by the fact when the blanket slips off of him and exposes more than half his body to the cool air, but when he cranes his neck to look up at Yunho, Yunho's eyes are scanning him in a way that's more warm than hungry, not judging in any way.

"You're really pretty," he mumbles, and Yeosang feels his skin go pink. "Handsome, I mean. Very attractive. Yeah."

"You too," Yeosang says as he rolls out of bed and makes his way to the door. "Come on, puppy. Let's shower and then we'll order food and clean up the mess we've made."

"Oh, you're still… that's still a thing, huh." Embarrassed is a good look on Yunho, Yeosang thinks, glancing at him over his shoulder. He doesn't go completely red in the face. It's just a hint of pink in the apples if his cheeks, across his nose, and around his collarbones, and his face scrunches cutely.

"I won't call you that if you don't want me to. You're just so cute, like a puppy. I like to pet you like one, too… when your hair is clean and fluffy. Right now you're a mess."

"No worse than you," Yunho shoots back, but Yeosang doesn't think that's entirely true. Yunho looks like he's lost weight in the past week. His cheeks are hollowed out a bit, there are deep circles under his eyes, and his body is riddled with bruises from Yeosang's hands and lips, the most prominent of which is a dark purple and blue bite mark on his neck. Yeosang knows he has a matching bruise on his own neck, but otherwise he's escaped Yunho's heat mostly unscathed.

"Anyway, I don't mind, just… I'm afraid I'll get used to it, and it sounds like you already are."

"What, puppy? Uh, it's probably okay if you get used to it. If you're okay with it, I mean."

Yeosang can sense Yunho's smirk, even with his back turned, and he's already exiting the room and making his way to the bathroom to avoid the words Yunho is about to say.

"Alpha, is that your way of confessing?" Yunho teases. Yeosang closes the bathroom door without answering, but he can hear Yunho laughing from down the hall, and a few seconds later as Yeosang is turning on the shower, the door opens again. Yunho slides up behind him, placing his hands on Yeosang's shoulders. He seems hesitant to touch Yeosang further, and Yeosang understands why.

The nature of their biology makes it socially acceptable to sleep with almost anyone who's willing, partners such as mates or potential future mates, obviously, but also friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Or near strangers. It's a necessary thing. Omegas need help with their heats, and though alpha ruts are less frequent, they need help as well. It's perfectly normal for either to spend that time with someone they've just met and then go their separate ways after.

But Yeosang doesn't think he wants them to go their separate ways. Even if Yunho isn't interested in a relationship, Yeosang would still want to be his friend. He would be friends with Yunho even without the expectation of spending another heat together. The sex has nothing to do with it, though it's definitely the most comfortable sex Yeosang has ever had.

"Water's warm," Yeosang says. "You wanna go first?" Yunho's hesitance has made Yeosang timid, but Yunho seems to get his shit in order quicker.

"Together." It's firm, sure. Yunho isn't ready for their time together to end, and Yeosang is happy to indulge him. He knows refusing right after Yunho's heat could upset him, but more than that, Yeosang isn't ready for their time together to end either.

There's no messing around in the shower this time. Neither of them is up for more sex after the week they've had, but Yeosang catches Yunho watching him as they scrub themselves clean. Yunho offers to wash Yeosang's hair for him, and Yeosang returns the favor. They emerge clean and warm and walk to the bedroom with towels tied around their waists.

Yunho is completely dressed before he realises Yeosang is just standing there. He doesn't have any clean clothes. Everything he'd worn the day he arrived has been incorporated into Yunho's nest.

The sweatpants Yunho finally offers him have to be rolled up at the ankles, and the hoodie is so long he ultimately decides to go without the pants. They order pizza, and then they go about cleaning Yunho's bed.

The entire nest has to be dismantled, which looks like it physically hurts Yunho. He frowns and cringes as he throws blankets and sheets into the laundry basket, and he throws an absolute fit when Yeosang offers to scent his pillowcases after they're washed because, "It's not the same, Yeosang. You wouldn't understand."

He doesn't, of course. Nesting is still foreign to Yeosang, but he's a little disappointed by the harsh rejection of his sincere offer. Then again, Yeosang's hormones are level while Yunho's aren't.

"I know. I know it's not the same. I'm sorry. Is there anything I  _ can _ do to make it easier though?"

Yunho doesn't answer right away. He doesn't shake his head or make any suggestions, but when he pulls a spare set of sheets from the closet, he tosses the pillowcases at Yeosang and shrugs, mumbling, "It's not the same, but it'd be nice anyway. You smell nice."

Yeosang stuffs the pillows into their cases and sets them aside to help Yunho fit the sheets over the bed. When everything is back in place, he takes Yunho's hand and leads him back to the bed.

"Come here," he says. "Wanna hold you." It's not just that. Yeosang thinks Yunho might feel better about the scenting if it smells like both of them. He could be totally wrong, but at least this can be a nice memory for them to hold onto, one untainted by the haze of Yunho's heat.

The pizza is on its way. It's not like they have a lot of time, but Yeosang can smell how upset Yunho is. This time it's something sharp and sour in the apple rather than the burning sugar smell, different but with the same feel, but it gradually fades and ripens into sweetness as Yunho folds himself into Yeosang's arms.

Yunho tries to make himself small, like he's forcing himself to fit. Yeosang has to stop Yunho from curling into a ball in front of him. He slides a little lower, until just the top of his head is resting on the pillow and his feet are just shy of reaching Yunho's. His nose is level with Yunho's shoulders, and he presses his face into the space between Yunho's shoulder blades.

Yeosang's arm slips under Yunho's, around his waist, and he finds Yunho's hand to tangle their fingers together. They don't speak, but Yeosang listens to him breathe, feels the air fill his lungs. It's a nice, quiet moment between the two of them, one that Yeosang realises he could happily live in for a very long time.

He doesn't get to, of course. The doorbell rings. Yunho groans and rolls away, out of the bed and onto his feet. Yeosang follows, mourning the fact that they have to separate but looking forward to real food.

Yunho hates the laundromat.

Mingi thinks it's great. He finds the rhythmic sounds of the washers and dryers soothing, and Yunho would enjoy that as well, except he really prefers conversation to background noise. Strangers at the laundromat are never interested in conversation, and Yunho can't just sit still and wait for his clothes to dry without someone to talk to.

Either way, it's the only option, the only way to get the apartment completely clean following his heat, and since Yeosang is still wearing Yunho's clothes, Yunho actually has company for once.

"Does it feel weird to bring a basket full of sheets and blankets that smell like heat to a public laundry?" Yeosang asks as they sort through the dismantled nest together.

Yunho snorts. "The first time, yeah. I mean, in college I was in the omega dorms. We had our own laundry facilities so we didn't have to do this in front of alphas and betas. My first heat after Mingi and I moved out of the dorms, I made him come with me and carry the basket."

"It gets easier, though?"

Yunho shrugs. "Heats are natural, right? They're something all omegas have to deal with. There's no point in being embarrassed about something you have no control over."

"I guess."

"You don't believe me?" Yunho says as Yeosang shoves his armful of laundry into a machine.

"No, I do, but is it more embarrassing or less having me here? Am I making this better or worse? Be honest."

"Better," Yunho says without even pausing to think about it. "It's not less embarrassing, but it's definitely better."

They had discussed over pizza whether Yeosang should wear Yunho's clothes home or try to wash his own and wear them home. Yunho had been quick to suggest Yeosang come with him to the laundromat, but not for the reasons Yeosang probably suspects. Yunho isn't eager to wash their scent from the sheets, and he doesn't give a shit whether they'll have to meet again to exchange clothes. Strike that, he does give a shit. He wants to see Yeosang again, and soon, but right now, all Yunho wants is to reclaim the hoodie Yeosang is currently wearing and take it home so that he can drown in Yeosang's whiskey and smoke in peace.

And he wants conversation. Conversation is nice, too. Unfortunately, the conversation Yunho finds himself in is rather… awkward.

As he moves to put his pile of laundry into the other machine, something drops onto the floor. It bounces and rolls until it collides with Yeosang's foot and falls over onto its side. Yunho picks it up to examine it.

"Where did that come from?" Yunho asks when he realises what the object is. He knows where it came from. It has been in his heat bag ever since Wooyoung's failed attempt to use it. Yunho has seen it countless times while packing and unpacking, but he's never removed it from the bag. "How did it get in my nest?"

Yeosang's face, when Yunho glances up, is so pink that the birthmark by his eye nearly blends in. He doesn't speak. He doesn't even look like he's breathing. He's completely frozen in place.

"Yeosang, I don't- I don't remember. I… did I ask for it?" There are tears in Yunho's eyes as he asks.

From the parts of his heat that Yunho can remember, Yeosang had been so perfect for him. He had provided everything Yunho needed. He never treated Yunho like he was different from any other omega, never complained about all the lube, never failed to use enough. But Yunho didn't have much control towards the end. The thought that he might have asked for something Yeosang couldn't provide while he wasn't entirely in control makes him feel ill.

"Did I-"

"Yeah," Yeosang interrupts. "You asked.  _ Begged." _

"I didn't mean it, Yeosang," Yunho cries, sinking to the floor.

"I'm sorry if I crossed a line or something. I didn't know what else to do. I did what I could without it, Yunho, but you were getting worse. I was just trying to make it better."

"Don't apologise," Yunho splutters. "I'm the one who was wrong. I would never have… if I'd been coherent, Yeosang… I'm sorry."

"Whoa. Hey, no," Yeosang says, and suddenly the distance between them is cut in half, Yeosang crouching in front of Yunho, his expression is a mixture of concern and confusion as he tips Yunho's face up with a gentle finger under his chin. "I don't think we're talking about the same thing, puppy. Tell me what you think you have to be sorry for."

Yunho doesn't want to answer the question. When he breaks down in tears again, Yeosang pulls him into his arms, into his lap on the dirty floor of the laundromat, and holds him. Yunho hates how weak he is, how he can't refuse the comfort he doesn't deserve. He feels so guilty.

"How about this," Yeosang says, pressing Yunho's face into his neck, offering his calming scent. "I'll go first, okay? I'm sorry I used the ring thingy. I didn't ask, and Wooyoung said you didn't like it, that it hurt you. I should have just used one of your toys, but all I was really thinking about in the moment was relief. For you. I wanted to take away your pain, not hurt you more."

"It didn't hurt." The words are muffled by Yeosang's skin and the borrowed hoodie he's wearing. Yunho turns his head to rest his cheek against Yeosang's shoulder so that he can be heard. "It didn't hurt. You _ did _ help. I needed it, but I shouldn't have asked for something you couldn't give me."

Yeosang's shoulders shake with a laugh, and Yunho wants to scold him for not taking this seriously. He finds it upsetting. Why is Yeosang laughing? But then Yeosang speaks again.

"You were in heat, puppy. You had no control over that. I know we don't know each other that well, but you don't strike me as the type of person to be intentionally hurtful. Were you in your right mind, you'd have never said that, I'm sure. And my alpha ego isn't that fragile. It's okay, okay?"

"Okay," Yunho agrees. He lets Yeosang help him up off the floor, and he finally finishes loading the machine. Once both machines are running they sit in the uncomfortable plastic chairs, watching the sheets and clothes swirl around in the soapy water.

"It didn't hurt you?" Yeosang asks again, very softly, voice full of insecurity that Yunho wants to squash as quickly as possible.

"No. It was just what I needed. I didn't like it before, with Wooyoung, because I didn't need it then. It was too much then, but not this time. Did it… was it good for you?"

Yunho doesn't know much about the synthetic knot, only that it's expensive and fancy, and Wooyoung had complained about it just as much as Yunho had at the time.

"It was good, yeah. Strange but not bad. Not until the very end. It kinda felt like a part of me, a part that I've never noticed or explored before. I would, uh, I'd be willing to use it again if, um, you wanted it."

It's an offer. It's a roundabout, indirect offer, but it's still an offer, one that Yunho wants to accept, but he's hesitant, unsure if it's what Yeosang really wants.

"I mean, my next heat won't be for a few more months, but I can let you know before. Earlier this time. And we can talk about-"

"No, puppy. I don't want to wait around for your next heat. I want to spend time with you, get to know you… date you."

"You- wait, really?"

Yeosang nods shyly, fringe falling over his eyes as he drops his gaze to his hands for a moment before looking back up at Yunho. "Yeah. Really."

"You don't care that I'm broken?" Yunho whispers the question. Oddly enough, he doesn't mind discussing his heat in public, but apparently he draws the line at talking about his condition.

"You're not broken. You're not!" Yeosang insists when Yunho snorts at his response. "Neither of us is broken. We're… unique. Like you said before, we match. We're a pair, a set, and I think… I feel like we belong together."

"Because we're both broken."

"No, because I like you. Because you're cute, and you're funny, and you smell like Halloween. Because I like being with you and talking to you and touching you and kissing you and- because you make me happy. If you don't feel the same, that's… okay, that's fine, but if you do, don't let something as insignificant as- don't let it hold you back.  _ I'm _ not."

He's right. Yunho knows Yeosang is right, but after years of being told that he's not omega enough, Yunho doesn't really have the courage to accept that it's everyone else who has been wrong about him.

"One date. Just one, Yunho. If it's not good, if we don't click, I'll understand, but I'm not going to give up without even trying."

"Yeah," Yunho nods. "One date. We'll try."

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a second chapter to this sometime in the very distant future. There was just no way I could finish it in time. So look forward to that... Eventually.
> 
> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. You can yell at me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/shynds8). Have a great day everyone!


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